Preparedness: Excuse #1— It’s Too Expensive

Are You on a Tight Budget—Like I am?

A very dear friend of mine confessed she knows she should put together a Car Emergency Kit, yet finds herself waiting until she has more time and the money to get started. I certainly understand the sentiment, and it got me to thinking.

I’ve always acknowledged how overwhelming the thought of preparedness for disasters and emergencies can be when you look at the big picture. I’ve talked about breaking it out into smaller baby steps…starting with the basics. But the thought of spending hundreds of dollars on emergency items for your home and/or car can also make it seem an impossible task from a monetary standpoint.

So, going back to my blog post: Preparedness: 6 Excuses Why People Don’t Prepare, let’s take a look at that Number 1 reason: It’s Too Expensive. Is it really? What if, again, we start with baby steps? I decided to take a more detailed look at this excuse and help you find a way around it.

So, I Ask You—Can You Afford $5 a Week?

Giving up one cup of Starbuck’s coffee a week could give you that amount! So let’s look at the photo below. In it you see just a few of the items you can purchase for under $5 each, to get started on your Car Emergency Kit. There’s a Rain Poncho, Paracord, manual Can Opener, Space Blanket, Magnifying Glass, Flashlight, Batteries, Drinking Water, Light Stick, Sewing Kit and a Whistle containing a Compass and Waterproof Matches. In fact, the Emergency Water pouch, Light Stick, and P-51 Can Opener were only 99 cents each. You can find deals like this at the Army Surplus Store. The steel flashlight came in a pack of three—from Costco—costing me $3 each.

You’ll want to consider having some energy type food in your Emergency Bag as well, but considering the pack will be sitting in the trunk of your vehicle in all kinds of weather, including intense heat, I recommend using some type of Emergency Food Rations that will store safely for years, even in extreme conditions. QuakeKare.com is one such place to find these products. They even have pet food rations. And you can purchase these packages for under $5 each.

Other inexpensive items can be picked up at the Dollar Store, such as; a roll of duct tape, a package of tea light candles, a roll of TP, a package of rubber bands and safety pins. I purchased ALL the items in the photo below (for my Home Emergency Kit) at the Dollar Store for a mere $7 total.

I suggest you make a list of items you want in your Car Emergency Kit (again you are welcome to use my list as a starting place and customize it for your family). With a list in your head, you’ll be more apt to notice these items when you are out and about shopping.

Even if you only pick up one a week, you’ll at least get started. And even one item is more than you have today!